Farmers approached about mineral sands mining

Mining company Oresome Australia has started talks with landholders in East Gippsland about exploring their properties for mineral sands.

The company has taken over Rio Tinto exploration leases from Orbost through to Bairnsdale, near Sale.

Oresome Australia's general manager, Stewart Hagan, says the company will be looking for the minerals zircon and rutile.

He says exploration will be carried out over the the next 12 months to determine if the project is viable.

"Different landowners require different things," he said.

"Different affected parties require different things.

"There will be discussions with traditional landowner groups, the Department of Primary Industries ... you've got a Department of Sustainability and ... Environment in Victoria, so there are a number of stakeholders [who] will play a part in how the project gets developed."